Last week was very busy. Bruce had an MRI and we saw the neuro oncologist (NO). Last month he began what they call 5/23. He takes Temodar for five days straight. That is followed by 23 days off. Temodar is chemo in pill form. After what oncologists call the SOC (standard of care), patients then…
I visited my doctor last week. After my exam we talked. She asked how I am doing. She knows my world has turned dark. I shared with her my coping mechanisms. Calm, a motivational site on Instagram, has been most helpful. A quick burst of cheer and positivity, it also offers thinking messages. I’m rereading…
A couple of weeks ago I was asked this question by a well-meaning acquaintance in the grocery store. The question came after I told him Bruce had surgery. I didn’t mention there were two, that twice they’ve cut into my husband’s skull. He cares. People care. I understand this. What ISN’T understood is that glioblastoma…
In January of 2018, my husband had surgery to remove his cancerous prostate gland. In October, he had surgery to remove a brain tumor. The day he was discharged, we received advice from the social worker that stuck with me; I cannot let it go. In December, emergency surgery was necessary to relieve pressure on…
Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is something I never thought would affect our lives. While Bruce’s father passed away in his 50s from heart disease, Bruce’s mother lived to be one month shy of her 98th birthday. Bruce has been a regular swimmer for over 30 years; he runs a nursery, a business requiring movement and activity not…
One will often have experienced specific symptoms with a diagnosis of glioblastoma, an aggressive form of brain cancer. According to the Mayo Clinic, symptoms typically seen are headache, seizures, and nausea and vomiting. Others include memory loss, decline in brain function, urinary incontinence, personality changes, irritability, and vision issues. Of all the symptoms listed, Bruce…
finding merle 